Woodward's Garden

I am not one to bitch about price. No I am not rich I just feel that you pay for quality and we live in one of the most expensive places in the world to do business. Pros: quiet and romantic Cons: a bit pricey more

I was very pleased with my experience at Woodward's Garden. The service was great (I am pretty sure it was one of the owners) and the meal was fantastic. It was nice because you didn?t feel rushed through your meal.(mine was a salad, then my entree and we or desert. There was no get out of here vibe that most restaurants put on you once you've stopped eating. That alone makes Woodward's stand out in the crowd. Pros: fresh flowers on each table, great food, wine, service Cons: parking was a bit hard. more

it all started with making the reservation: Pros: potentially amazing space if someone else were to take it over & remodel it. Cons: cold & aloof staff. more

I decided I had to try this spot after seeing this restaurant featured on PBS' s""Check, Please! Bay Area"" program. The experience lived up to all my expectations. I agree with the previous reviewer, who felt that the location near the freeway made you feel like you were in an intimate New York restaurant, with the cars whizzing by. My boyfriend and I went during prime time, on a Saturday night but I never felt the service was rushed, or ""weird"" as some of the previous reviewers had experienced. Perhaps they've just upped the ante, service-wise, since those reviews were written. But the main reason to come to this spot is not the service, it's the food - all of the dishes we had were obviously made with the freshest ingredients available, and with lots of care. I felt the prices were very fair, and comparable to what you'd pay for other restaurants of this caliber. But what I really loved was the wine list - interesting, hard-to-find wines that were extremely reasonable given the quality. The mark-ups were much lower than what I've seen from the competition. If you consider yourself a foodie and haven't already discovered this hidden treasure, you really should go. It doesn't disappoint! Pros: The wine list, and the amazing food more

Looking for a great restaurant then you should try Woodward's Garden. It's tucked away under the freeway overpass which makes it an interesting spot. We sat by the window and the cars buzzing by was reminiscent of a busy New York street and added to the ambiance. OK on to the food and wine. There were 2 of us dining and we thoughly enjoyed the experience. Try the salad with shaved cheese and the figs with prosciutto, the north american halibut and finish your meal off with the creme brule with dark chocolate. Yummy. We had a bottle of the Fort Ross Chardonnay which was reasonably priced and very tasty. Looking for a new spot? Try Woodward's Garden. Pros: reasonably priced wine list, ingredients, deserts more

A friend recommended this restaurant. I loved the atmosphere of the place when we walked in. The menu looked great and the restaurant had a really comfortable, ""locals"" feel to it. I am not a high-maintenance restaurant go-er by any means, but I do like to get what I pay for. And for these prices, I was rather disappointed. Service was awkward and I sensed that they were understaffed--the 2 servers were rushing around and weren't particularly warm. I didn't get the feeling that they wanted us to be there. The quality of the ingredients was excellent, but the flavors were too heavy and overpowered the flavors of each dish's main ingredient(s). Too salty/heavy overall. For example, the sauce on the trout bruschetta was too creamy/salty. The Grilled Pork Chop was tender and juicy, but also too salty...and the bed of veggies underneath was drowning in oil. For the same price, Town Hall's pork chop wins hands down. Like I said, I really wanted to like this place and I think it has potential....If prices had been about 30% cheaper, I'd go back for another visit. Pros: Ambience, Local spot Cons: Apathetic service, Food needs refinement more

If you consider worrying whether your car will still be there after you meal romantic, then by all means. Romantic. The food is capably done, but it's a hard swallow to pay those prices when you're dining in that neighborhood, under a freeway ramp. more

My boyfriend had been wanting to try this place out, so for his birthday I decided to take him here. We had read all of the reviews, seen the menu and were so excited. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a let down - not entirely, just a bit. Pros: Romantic and cozy. Cons: The food left a little to be desired. more

The food here was amazing. Although their menu is small everything sounded amazing and it changes according to what foods are in season. I am a vegetarian as well, so there were fewer options, but I didn't care because what I could eat, was delicious. I would definitly reccomend it. I liked that while the food was upscale, the restaurant itself, was warm and inviting. If you sit in the front room you get to see all of your meal being prepared as you order it. Pros: Food, homey feel, small and locally owned Cons: too pricey to eat there as often as you would want to! more

I heard such nice things about the atmosphere of this place but it was nothing special. Most of the dishes were tasty, particularly the pork chop and the corn chowder. The wine list had very few moderately priced selections. I don't know - can't see any reason to go back in a city with so many places to try. more

i came here on my birthday and it was by far the best food i have had in a long time. their portions are generous, and the food was flavorful and hearty. it is located underneath the freeway, a little strange, but i think that if it was located anywhere else it would be super packed. the service was a little spotty, but honestly, the food speaks for itself, when most resturants are going smaller portions, it is represhing to finally eat at a place where the portions are real. i really liked this place, i have lived in sf for 15 years always meaning to go to this place and i finally have and i wish i had gone earlier. the prices are reasonable too. Pros: yummy food and generous portions! Cons: no cons more

The service was poor. The host had the manner and expression could best be described as 'limp'; like someone having a bad hair day. She came bearing the wrong entree altogether, but we were not charged for her ""unforced error."" Aside from that, the food was inventive, with flavors that were unexpected and presentation that was top-notch. I like this place for the funky urban vibe. World class cuisine in the armpit of the city. It seems to have a devoted following. more

Make no mistake, food at Woodward's Garden is top notch. Probably the best I have ever eaten in San Francisco. The portions were generous, and the flavor meldings were totally in tune and unpretentious. Highly recommended is the clams and mussels with merguez sausage. The escarole, endive, blue cheese, white and red beet salad was also the best salad I have been served in this city. The blue cheese was a creamy accompaniment, instead of being over powering. The entrees were equally as impressive. Duck on savoy cabbage and puy lentils made my dining partner extremely happy. He grudginigly offered me a taste, and the duck meat tasted like lamb and was glazed to perfection. I had the caramelized pork chop with pears, mash potato and brussel sprouts. The first bite of the pork made me think I was eating a piece of caramel, it was so sweet and melty. Pros: Food, food, food! Cons: Ambience more

After recently dining at Woodward's Garden, I finally understand what other reviews meant by ""weird"" service! We were seated promptly (get a table in the front, not in the back room) and everything we ordered was delicious! Standouts included a fantastic swordfish, a savory butter bean soup and a to-die-for vanilla creme brulee with shortbread cookies. Service was, well, weird - efficient without being friendly. Not quite unfriendly, just a little remote. Not much chit-chat or eye contact. Even so, it's worth overlooking for the incredible food. Pros: tasty food, intimate setting, great dessert Cons: parking, "weird" service more

This is probably my favorite restaurant in SF, and I don't think it gets the attention it deserves. It's small & quaint. The chef makes everything to order & uses the freshest & finest ingredients. I've never had anything I didn't like there, and I've been there numerous times. Wonderful wine list. For some, the location might be a drawback, but once you get inside, it's very charming & there's easy parking outside. I recommend requesting a table in front so that you can watch the chef in action. Pros: Excellent Food, Wonderful Service, Great Ambiance more

The food was delicious, the staff nice and profissional. It was quiet and nice, wouldn't go there with a large group of friends, more for an intimate dinner. Pros: good food, good staff, quiet more

This was by far our best dining experience in San Fran. Absolutely divine warm grilled nectarine with Chenel chevre and prosciutto; incredible Rosenblum 2000 Zin at a steal; smooth service and beautifully stark setting. I would choose this restaurant over any others and plan to return on my next trip. Pros: divine food, incredible wine more

We've been coming here since it opened - I think three or four days after it opened in fact. We come in from New York, and go every year. Wouldn't miss it. Margie and Dana know how to take care of people, and that includes the food, the wonderful wine, the hospitality, everything. No question about it: you be rude to them, and they will be cold to you. Fair is fair. But I've never seen any reasonable customer be unhappy here. Any low reviews seem to have expected something it's not. I hope they succeed. more

WG does not disappoint. The food is incredible and the atmoshere romantic. I thought the staff was a bit standoffish, but very pleasant. It's nice to be taken care of without being intrusive. The Mission is underrated and once inside, the charming and romatic atmoshere take over, so don't be deterred by the neghborhood. I am a local and a a good eater and think I am a good judge of SF restaurants - Woodward's Garden is a must see. Pros: food, atmoshere, wine list more

I have been working in restaurants for over 10 years, and I finally made it into Woodward's Garden after hearing praise for it for years. The food was wonderful, creative and reasonably priced for the upscale fare. The owner was waiting on our table, and was very sweet and considerate. I had a salmon dish that was delicious, with a great salad to start. This place is great- romantic and unique. Check it out! more